Duality Sonic Centerpiece of New Music and Lifestyle Themed Hotel

BERLIN  Looking to redefine the high-end hotel experience, the trendy nhow Berlin is built around the theme music and lifestyle, featuring the nhow Studio complex. A 48-channel Solid State Logic Duality console is the centerpiece of the SSL Mixing Room, delivering the companys SuperAnalogue sound, operational flexibility and the name recognition necessary to attract high-level projects to one of the best equipped mix rooms in the world. Duality will also be used to mix unique corporate team building workshops that use musical elements as the main focus for nhow Berlins extensive corporate guest roster.

We have created a truly unique, open space studio complete with natural ambient light, hovering 32-meters over the River Spree on the eighth floor of the Upper Tower with a sensational view of Berlin from every room, says Daniel Schmuck, studio manager for nhow Studios. The SSL Mixing Room, as the name implies, is being used to mix different types of projects from established groups and composers, to corporate projects and advertising. We have equipped the studio with an enviable amount of great outboard gear and microphones, and Duality brings everything together to create a studio that is truly world-class for our clients.

The nhow experience is an interesting mix of building a state-of-the-art mixing and composing studio in a luxury hotel setting, creating a symbiotic relationship between studio and hotel with one side providing star power and the other excellent guest accommodations along with a new set of potential clients. The creative direction for the studio is by René Rennefeld of Lautstark Musik GmbH. Lautstark is also responsible for the production management and bookings at the legendary Hansa Tonstudios, where stars such as REM, Snow Patrol, Herbert Grönemeyer, Green Day, David Bowie and U2 record.

Because of the relationship between Lautstark Musik and nhow Berlin, we can offer the option for music creatives that include recording in the famous Studio 1 or the main hall of Hansa Tonstudios and mixing in nhow Studios on the Duality, Schmuck explains. The co-operation with these internationally experienced and interconnected music professionals guarantees top quality and reliability for the artists who work here.

The SSL Mixing Room is connected to a large vocal/instrument overdub room, the all-digital suite and lounges to cover many missions. The compact and efficient design of Duality is perfect for the size of the SSL Mixing Room, while the VHD mic pres offer a wide sonic palette to cover any music style. Beyond the sound quality, Duality brings with it integrated DAW control and that is a must have for nhow.

We have a lot of different arrangers who use many different DAW programs that include Pro Tools®, Logic, Nuendo, Ableton and Reason, so we needed to be as flexible as possible when choosing a console for the studio, Schmuck explains. Dualitys DAW control interface is very powerful, intuitive and allows us to control, for example, Logic and Pro Tools at the same time. We also like the Total Recall and automation interface with the DAWs. We are very excited to have Duality and the SSL name associated with our very special facility. We really like working with SSL as a company as they are very attentive to our needs.